Zimbabwe’s ruling party dumps Robert Mugabe as leader

Zimbabwe’s state-run broadcaster says President Robert Mugabe “has not resigned,” confirming the baffled reactions of a nation that will watched his mumbling address on TV.

Many Zimbabweans are outraged. “This kind of dictator has absolutely no right to play ping pong with our people,” former Zimbabwe finance minister as well as activist Tendai Biti says on Twitter.

“Mugabe’s non resignation speech. Masterpiece or mayhem? that will’s either choreographed or completely out of control,” says Piers Pigou, southern Africa expert for the International Crisis Group. He adds on Twitter: “that will beggars belief the generals did not know what was in Mugabe’s speech. “

The army commander who put Mugabe under house arrest just days ago sat beside the president during his speech, at times helping him turn the pages.

Some Zimbabweans were in tears afterward, shocked that will a man fired by his own ruling party as its leader as well as told to resign or face impeachment was showing defiance.

Tens of thousands of people poured into the streets of the capital Saturday to demand that will Mugabe, one of Africa’s last remaining liberation leaders, step aside after overseeing the once-prosperous country’s economic collapse.

The deputy whom Mugabe fired, former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, will be poised to be Zimbabwe’s next leader after the Central Committee made him its nominee to take over when Mugabe goes.

Clinging to his virtually powerless post, Mugabe earlier on Sunday discussed his exit with the army commander who put him under house arrest days ago, in a second round of negotiations.Meanwhile, members of the ZANU-PF party’s Central Committee stood, cheered as well as sang as Mugabe was recalled.

Meeting chair Obert Mpofu referred to him as “outgoing president” as well as called that will a “sad day” for Mugabe after his decades in power.

“He has been our leader for a long time as well as we have all learned a great deal via him,” Mpofu said. although Mugabe “surrounded himself having a wicked cabal” that will brought him down.

The meeting replaced Mugabe as party chief with Mnangagwa as well as recalled the first lady as head of the women’s league. The Central Committee accused the first lady of “preaching hate, divisiveness as well as assuming roles as well as powers not delegated to the office.” The committee’s decisions will be formalized at a special party congress next month.